Shelly Finkel, the adviser of Mike Tyson, has said that Tyson will box and not fight mixed martial arts in the K-1 promotion. Tyson’s opponent is slated to be Kevin McBride, a heavyweight out of Ireland, the fight would take place around July 31 in the United States.

Finkel confirmed that Tyson has reunited with trainer Freddie Roach and Roach will train Tyson for the McBride bout. Roach said he will set up training camp in Phoenix for Tyson on May 10.

“If he fought the two fights, a fight against Lamon Brewster or Klitschko will be right there for him. Of course he has to buckle down and get back into it.” said Roach.

Finkel also said that Tyson and Joe Mesi could meet up by the end of the year in Madison Square Garden.

“It’s definitely going to happen,” said Finkel

Finkel also said that regardless of the 100 million dollar lawsuits that Tyson and King have against eachother, a reunion with Don King was not out of the question.

“Under the right circumstances, I’m open to discussing it. I’ve never said that we wouldn’t talk to him (Don King).” said Finkel

Tyson back in picture

May fight Mesi on Garden card

Mike Tyson sits ringside at Garden last week. He may fight there by year’s end.

Negotiations for a bout between former
heavyweight champion Mike Tyson and contender Joe Mesi have heated up
to the point that Shelly Finkel, Tyson’s adviser, can almost see them
in the ring at Madison Square Garden in November or December.

“It’s definitely going to happen,” Finkel said yesterday. “It’s going to be in New York.”

The two sides are still discussing money, but it is a mutually
beneficial bout for both Mesi and Tyson. Mesi wants to be taken
seriously as a title contender and Tyson wants to regain the world
title. In the current heavyweight climate it won’t take long for Tyson
to get in the title mix.

Tyson’s appetite for the title must have been whetted when he watched
John Ruiz beat Fres Oquendo to retain the WBA crown and saw Chris Byrd
fight to a draw against Andrew Golota to retain the IBF title at the
Garden this past weekend.

It was the second straight heavyweight title card that Tyson attended.
The week before the Garden card, he saw Lamon Brewster beat Wladimir
Klitschko for the WBO title in Las Vegas. Both cards were promoted by
Don King, fueling speculation that Tyson might re-up with the promoter.
During the post-fight press conference at the Garden, King looked at
Tyson and said, “We’re waiting for you.”

“Anything is possible,” Finkel said when asked if Tyson would consider signing a promotional deal with King.

“Under the right circumstances, I’m open to discussing it. I’ve never said that we wouldn’t talk to him.”

Those circumstances would be a settlement of the $100 million lawsuit
that Tyson has filed against King for breach of contract. Tyson alleges
that King stole millions from him when he was promoting him from
1987-98. King is countersuing Tyson for $100 million.

King has control of three of the four major heavyweight titles. But
Finkel said that Tyson didn’t need King’s promotional might to make a
big fight, because he can still meet guys like Mesi and Roy Jones Jr.
and earn millions.

Tyson recently signed a lucrative promotional agreement with K-1, the
Japanese mixed martial arts company. Finkel said it is a one-fight
deal, and that Tyson will box and not fight mixed martial arts. Tyson
is tentatively set to box an Irish heavyweight named Kevin McBride
sometime in July on a K-1 show somewhere in the U.S.

Freddie Roach, who trained Tyson for his last bout against Clifford
Etienne in Memphis on Feb. 22, 2003, will train Tyson for the McBride
bout. Roach said he will set up training camp in Phoenix for Tyson on
May 10.

Roach believes that the 36-year-old Tyson could be back in the heavyweight title picture with victories over McBride and Mesi.

“With the heavyweight division the way it is now, he can make some
noise,” Roach said. “We’ll see if he’s got the discipline to do what it
takes.

“If he fought the two fights, a fight against Lamon Brewster or
(Vitali) Klitschko will be right there for him. Of course he has to
buckle down and get back into it.”